20150327003219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · David Shell ZENITH CH701 · Fairfield, UT · March 27, 2015

Date: March 27, 2015 · 13:30 local
Place: Fairfield, UT
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N701VZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA024
Reported as: David Shell Zenith CH701
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 464 total165 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N701VZRegistration cancelled Feb 12, 2016 · David Shell ZENITH CH701S/N 7-6687 · Built 2012 Airframe modelDavid Shell ZENITH CH701 Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot was on a pleasure flight (no flight plan) and was returning from delle Utah towards Fairfield (west desert airpark UT99), the pilot thought he smelled something hot or smoke and decided to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road about 8 miles northwest of UT99. As pilot was landing he lost control of aircraft causing aircraft to veer into ditch causing damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT (NO FLIGHT PLAN) AND WAS RETURNING FROM DELLE UTAH TOWARDS FAIRFIELD (WEST DESERT AIRPARK UT99), THE PILOT THOUGHT HE SMELLED SOMETHING HOT OR SMOKE AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF UT99. AS PILOT WAS LANDING HE LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO VEER INTO DITCH CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA15CA024Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportFairfield, UTThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a precautionary off airport landing.Mar 27, 2015 · Substantial damage